1. Field of the Invention
This, invention relates to a method for dissolving a thickened mass within a living body by introducing a medicinal liquid dissolving a thickened mass within a living body or accelerating and helping such dissolution around the thickened mass within the living body and recovering out of the body the fluid containing the dissolved component of the thickened mass and to a dissolving therapeutic apparatus for the same. The term "thickened mass" is understood to include both a "calculous" and a "thrombus".
2. Description of the Related Art
There is already considered a dissolving therapeutic apparatus wherein a medicinal liquid which is of such stone dissolving agent as monooctanoin, d-limonene or methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) is injected into such treated part as the gallbladder within a living body and is left for a fixed time so that such thickened mass as a stone present in the treated part may be dissolved by said medicinal liquid and such fluid as the medicinal liquid in which this thickened mass is dissolved is sucked to remove said stone or the like.
Some means for improving the coagulation dissolving efficiency to be higher than ever are suggested in said dissolving therapeutic apparatus. In the publications, for example, of U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,744 and Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No.117545/1987 is suggested an apparatus wherein a fixed amount of a medicinal liquid is injected and sucked into such treated part as the gallbladder within a living body by using a pump and is stirred so as to accelerate the dissolution of the thickened mass.
Also, in the publications of U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,276 and Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No.40541/1988 is suggested an apparatus wherein a fluid (medicinal liquid) is simultaneously injected and sucked and is refluxed. The apparatus shown in the publications is provided also with a means for controlling the injection and suction of the medicinal liquid so as to hold the pressure within the gallbladder to be within a set range.
However, in the apparatus shown in said publications of U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,744 and Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No.11754/1987, the injection and suction of the medicinal liquid for dissolving the thickened mass are repeated to stir the liquid but a new medicinal liquid is not always introduced into the treated part. In said apparatus, a trap for passing the fluid sucked from the therapeutic part is provided and Yet the cholesterol component dissolved in the medicinal liquid gradually increases, the dissolving efficiency reduces and the dissolving time becomes long.
In the apparatus shown in said publications of U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,276 and Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No.40541/1988, the medicinal solution is refluxed to the therapeutic part but, the same as in the apparatus shown in the above described publications of U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,744 and Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No.117545/1987, the same medicinal liquid is repeatedly used and therefore there is a problem that the dissolving efficiency gradually reduces.
In both of said two examples, the medicinal liquid is always moved by the pump and is very likely to flow to parts other than the treated part.
In order to safely make the therapy by using the dissolving therapeutic apparatus, it is necessary to keep the pressure in the treated part lest the medicinal liquid should leak out of the treated part. A body liquid or the like often flows into said treated part and the pressure thereby must be also considered. Further, the pressure in the treated part may fluctuate due to the fine movement of the living body under the treatment. From these facts, the medicinal liquid is likely to flow out of the treated part.